The Little Ball of Yarn

One fine day in May I took a walk one day
It’s doon [laughs] by my grandfather’s farm.
I met a pretty maid an this is what I said,
“May I wind up your little ball of yarn?”

Now I took this pretty maid underneath the shade
Not intendin for to do her any harm. [Spoken aside: “That’s half!”]
I took her by surprise and I laid between her thighs
And I winded up her little ball of yarn.

This pretty maid she raise and she pulled up her claes
And it’s straight tae her grandma she did rin,
But for me, I was never seen as I skipped across the green
After windin up her little ball of yarn.

Come aa you young men, never stop out after ten
Not intendin for to do any harm,
For as soon as they lie doon you’ve got tae pay yer sweet half-croon
For the windin o the little ball of yarn.

Come aa you young maids, tak a warnin to what I’ve said,
Never rise up too early in the morn,
For like the blackbird and the thrush, there’ll be someone behind the bush
That will wind up your little ball of yarn.

Transcribed from a recording was made in August 1988 at a house in
St. Andrews, Fife, that John Niles and his research team were renting
at that time. Elizebeth had her version from her mother Jean and
aunt Lucy whose version was collected by American folklorist
Kenneth Goldstein from the family in 1959 and which he included in
his Buchan Bawdry manuscript.

Listen online here: https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/APHLSLUQOGPA3O8W